To Rescue a Kingdom
by LibbyMay
Summary: Three years after winning back her baby brother, Sarah runs the Labyrinth again. She's the Underground's only hope for saving the King and the kingdom. But if the evil Fae that's trying to take over finds out who she really is, she might just end up dead first.
1. First Meeting

First Meeting

The Faith Sky Hospital was unusually busy for a Wednesday. In the children's ward, two girls were roomed. One girl looked to be about seven, with dirty brown hair and dirty clothes to match. She was crying, her tears mixing with the grime and small amount of blood that had congealed under her nose where she had gotten hit. The other side of her face was sporting a black eye. The other girl, who appeared to be about five years old, had black hair and green eyes, and was being quite silent, though her leg was broken. A neighborhood bully had pushed her off the playground set, and she'd hit the ground before her father could reach her. Finally, the younger girl could keep silent no longer.

"What's your name?" she asked softly.

"Bethany," blubbered the older girl, "What's yours?"

"Sarah. What happened to you?"

"My uncle hit me again." Bethany said this so matter-of-factually, that Sarah wondered if the girl believed that all uncles hit their nieces.

"Why did he do that?"

"Because he's a bad man," Bethany said grim-faced. Then she looked at Sarah and smiled knowingly, saying, "He's got a big surprise in store for him though, cause I'm not going back home."

Sarah gasped. "Where will you go?"

At this question, Bethany outright grinned. "Somewhere where he'll _never_ find me." She then dug something out from her school bag, handing it to Sarah. It was a small red book with gold writing on it.

"_The Labyrinth_?" she asked perplexed, reading the title, as she was smart for her age.

Bethany just nodded, then spoke. "I wish the goblins would take me away, right now!"

Suddenly, Sarah felt a whooshing feeling inside of her and she was awed. Whatever was going on, something _magical_ was about to happen...

Robert Williams paced in the waiting room nervously. Where was Linda? Resentment bubbled up inside him as he realized where his wife probably was; she was most likely still at the theater, trying to schmooze up to everyone. Meanwhile her only child was in the hospital with a broken leg. Some mother, sneered Robert in thought. His thoughts were distracted by the man that was now gracefully moving through the throng of people up to the front desk. The man was wearing a lavender loose top, purple vest, and gray tight pants, if pants were what those were called. And the man's blond hair was haphazardly styled, with long sections that fell to the shoulders and short sections that stood up every which way. Perhaps it was because the man was dressed so strangely, but Robert wondered for a split second if perhaps Linda had gotten a ride with one of her theater friends. But after realizing that Linda was in fact _not_ walking through the door, Robert eyed the man more curiously. The man seemed to understand that he was under scrutiny, for he turned to look at Robert, and Robert felt a strange dread creep over him, the type that wasn't hostile, just a feeling of inevitability. The strangeness of the man was complete, as the man's gaze revealed he had two differently colored eyes, one crystal blue, the other golden amber.

The man shrugged at Robert, saying, "Throwing my daughter a fantasy birthday party. She insisted I dress up, and I certainly wasn't expecting to have to come here to fetch someone else."

Robert merely nodded. He definitely didn't have the time to ponder some stranger in a hospital. He frowned, looking at his watch. Where in the world was Linda?!...

Jareth, King of the Goblins, walked into the hospital room. He laughed to himself. Mortals were so easily gullible. It had been a piece of cake to get to the girl's room, really. "Hello, Bethany. I believe you called?"

"Yes!" Bethany cried out. "Please take me to the Underground, Goblin King, I don't want to be hit anymore!"

Jareth's features darkened as he said, "Don't worry, you'll never have to deal with your pig of an uncle again. Rest assured that he'll get what he deserves. Now, if you'll come with me, I believe I've found a couple who would love to adopt you as their own." It was as he was taking the young girl's hand that he felt the weight of another set of eyes on him. He glanced up to see a pair of green eyes, widely regarding him. Something tugged at Jareth, something unnameable, and it was the first time in his long existence that he was unsure of himself. He saw that this younger girl was clutching his book in her hand, and he deduced that Bethany must have passed the book along. The strange new feeling was making Jareth curious, but he needed to adhere to the rules of his land first. He mentally called a few of his goblins to his side. "Bethany, follow Zorb and Tull, I'll be there shortly." Bethany willingly complied, and promptly disappeared from view. Jareth turned to the remaining girl and tilted his head. "What's your name, little one?" he asked.

"Sarah," she answered.

"And what happened that has you in a hospital bed?"

"Paul pushed me off the slide. I broke my leg."

Without warning, rage coursed through Jareth's veins, and he gasped in shock. _What in the Underground was _that_?!_ He shook his head, something strange was going on here, but he didn't have the time to sort it out. "Well, I'm terribly sorry to hear that, Sarah. I'd love to chat further, but unfortunately I must go. Goblin business to attend to and all that. You have the book now, so I'm sure I'll be seeing you again someday."

And as Jareth felt himself being portaled to his world, he heard Sarah say, "Bye, Jareth." The unusual feeling suddenly tightened like a noose around his heart, and he cursed himself for speeding away so quickly. How had she known his name?! A sudden fear that he would never know rose up in him, but it soon faded as he remembered that she still held the book. A smile spread across his face. _Don't worry, Sarah, we'll meet again soon._

Down in a dark, dusty oubliette, a young woman and a disgruntled dwarf were having an argument.

"I can't trust you, you were taking me back to the beginning!" The young woman said.

"I wasn't. I only told him that to throw him off the scent," the dwarf pleaded.

"How can I believe anything you say?" the teenager retorted.

"Let me put it this way; what choice have you got?"

After a brief hesitation, she sighed, saying, "You're right."

"See, you've got to understand my position. I'm a coward and Jareth scares me."

A strange sensation flashed through Sarah. How was it that she knew _his_ name when Hoggle said it? She tried to push the question and feelings associated with that thought aside though, asking, "What kind of position is that?"

"No position. That's my point," Hoggle continued, not noticing anything amiss. And though she continued her argument with Hoggle, even to the point of stealing his jewels to secure her freedom, her mind was whirring. She _knew_ Jareth, had known him from before. But when and how? Unfortunately, being a teenager and prone to distraction, she eventually forgot all about figuring out the mystery by the end of her journey through the Labyrinth.


	2. Dreams and Schemes

Dreams and Schemes

Everything was dark, so dark she couldn't see, and she was falling. She suddenly hit the ground but it didn't hurt like she thought it would. She could see now. She was in a gray landscape, barren as far as the eye could see, save for a few stone structures. "What is this place?" she asked out loud.

A cold, sinister voice spoke to her from behind, saying, "Don't you know, Runner? Can't remember your travels through this place anymore?"

Sarah whirled around to see a dark man, if a man was what he was, standing there. His hair was long, straight, and black as the night. His eyes were just as black. And he was abnormally thin, with long ears. "I – should I remember?" And why had he called her Runner? He laughed, and she found herself afraid. "Who are you?"

He smiled ferociously, replying, "Some call me Mekrul, but to you, I am the new Goblin King."

Sarah's heart stopped. _No! What happened to Jareth!?_ She glanced around frantically, and Mekrul misunderstood her thoughts, which probably saved her.

"Don't worry, Runner, the former king who stole the person you loved is no longer in power."

Somehow Sarah found her voice. "What is it you want from me?"

"Ah, you get right to the point; I like your style. You see, I hold the former king captive, and I'm trying to prove to him that I am better suited for the position. He lost to a Runner several years ago, and I'm going to show him how it's done." Mekrul paused, then smirked evilly. "Of course, I'll have the odds stacked against him by having only the Runners who lost, of which you're one. You see, I'm going to give you the opportunity to win back what's yours, and all you have to do is something that you would probably love to do anyways."

"What's that?" _And how is it that you don't realize that I _didn't_ lose?_

"You need to beat him by not reaching him where he's held. Oh, I'd like all the Runners to give it a decent shot, just so that our finely feathered friend can have a sense of false hope. In exchange, I'll locate the one that was stolen from you and return you both to the Aboveground." He eyed Sarah, then asked, "So, do we have a deal, Runner?"

Sarah contemplated her options, but she knew what choice she would make. This creature was sinister, her friends were in trouble, and the land that she had come to think fondly of was in peril as well. Not to mention Jareth. She'd come to terms long before that she had been selfish, and that he _had_ only done as she'd asked him to. Hell, she missed him. The thought of him being held captive made her insides squirm in worry. "Yes, new Goblin King, we have a deal. When do I start?"

"Tomorrow night, I'll send an escort for you. I suggest you prepare yourself." With that, Mekrul laughed viciously and evaporated from her view as her world spun.

Sarah Williams, now 18, bolted upright in her bed, sweat everywhere on her body. So, the Labyrinth had been taken over had it? No wonder she hadn't been able to contact her friends in a while. She remembered the foulness of the new "king" and her mouth set in a grim line. She would save Jareth, no matter the cost. She owed him that at least.


	3. At the Beginning Again

At the Start Again

Sarah stood on the very hill where she had begun her adventure through the Underground the last time, wearing an Underground dress, shoes, and a plain mask to cover her face. She had been told that all former Runners must look the same, so that favoritism couldn't be granted. The landscape of the Labyrinth looked bleak now. There was very little vegetation, the hedge maze was dead, and the walls of the Goblin city appeared to be crumbled and in disarray. "What happened here?" Sarah asked her escort, an intelligent goblin named Brok.

She was surprised to hear the bitter tone as Brok answered, "Mekrul is what happened."

"I don't understand, I thought the other Goblin King was cruel," Sarah remarked, even though she no longer thought this.

Brok sniffed, "His Majesty _was_ a wee bit rough around the edges sometimes, but he'd never _harm_ us. He cared for us, though he pretended otherwise. He gave us homes, food, drink, and even had fun with us. You shouldn't take anything for granted around here you know, least of all him. Mekrul may look fair, but he's evil."

"I don't think he looks fair. He scares me."

Brok eyed her with interest. "You're one of the smarter ones then." Then he shook his head, saying, "Don't expect to get too far. In fact, I'd just forget about getting whoever it is you lost before. Mekrul may have pretended to make a deal with you, but most of us think he's just going to kill the Runners off. This place isn't like it was the last time you ran, it's more dangerous."

But Sarah wouldn't be swayed, she had an advantage that had apparently been unnoticed. "I don't need to worry about getting anyone back, I already did that three years ago. I'm going to save Jareth."

Brok whipped around to her, wide eyed. "The _Champion_," he breathed. Hope flared in his eyes. "Yes!" he exclaimed. "If anyone can help His Majesty it would be you. You must keep your identity a secret though! If Mekrul finds out..."

"Yes, I assume he wouldn't be too happy to realize that he has a Runner who's defeated the Labyrinth before."

"Not just any Runner; the _only_ Runner since Jareth took over the throne of Goblin King." Brok paced for a few seconds, lost in thought, then he looked at Sarah, saying, "I will spread the word amongst those of our kind that can be trusted. We will help in whatever way we can."

"Thank you, that's most kind. There were three who helped me the last time, maybe you can find them?"

"Yes, I know of whom you speak. I will see if I can locate them. Now, you must begin your task. I will find you when I can."

"Thanks again, Brok." The goblin bowed crudely, then took off. Sarah looked at the barren maze before her and sighed. "Well, nothing's being accomplished by me just standing here. Come on, feet."

She set out into the hedge maze, thinking that she'd be able to find the way through easier than before. After about half an hour though, she realized that the hedge was truly dead. Where before the Labyrinth had changed its form frequently, it was not moving at all now. "Hum, well this is a dilemma," she remarked. She tried to push her way through the brush, but it was still too dense. Then she got an idea. "Perhaps I can't go through it, but I can certainly go over it." And with that, she began climbing. Her ascent was marked by branches scratching every surface of her body, but when she reached the top, she could see which way she needed to go. She smiled and said to herself, "I'm coming, Jareth."


	4. Machinations Revealed

**A.N.** - I'm so terribly sorry for the delayed update, but my internet got shut off and I just now got it back. And yes, this is a short chapter, but I've made it up by posting another chapter I hope lol.

Machinations Revealed

What was once a marvelous castle in the center of the Goblin City now lay in ruins. Only the foundation on which it once stood still stayed intact. It was here that Mekrul sat, watching Jareth fruitlessly try to escape his magical imprisonment.

Jareth seethed, vowing to himself the many things he would inflict upon his nemesis. How could he have let himself get into this situation? Mekrul had tricked him, and Jareth should have known better. He prided himself on his own deceptions but he had let himself be baited into the game. He shook his head. Best not to think about what he should have done, but rather what he could do now.

As if reading his thoughts, Mekrul spoke. "So I suppose you're wondering what I'm going to do with you, now that I have you?"

"The thought had crossed my mind," Jareth replied sardonically.

The dark creature sneered. "Well seeing as how this whole realm is meant to be a challenge, I thought it would be fun to bring in some of your former Runners, see if they can beat the Labyrinth again. After all, I have to practice for my new role."

Fear spiked through Jareth then. Yes, he'd played games with his Runners, but he'd never hurt them. Everything any of them had gone through had been to show them what they were capable of, good or bad. Something told him that Mekrul wouldn't be so kind. "You know that you can't harm them, it's against the rules."

"No, not directly. But the Labyrinth is so easy to persuade," Mekrul cackled.

"You can't! I won't let you!"

"Oh? And how will you be able to do anything in that prison of yours?" Mekrul paused, then said almost whimsically. "You know though, the Labyrinth is falling apart. There's a chance that one of them will make it. Tell you what; I'll let you go if one of them can make it to you."

"And why would they want to help me? You say they're former Runners, but all of them lost the game."

"Almost all of them. But don't worry, I didn't make the same mistake you did. No human is a match for me. If any of those pathetic Runners make it here, I'll show them no mercy."

Jareth's face fell. He had to figure a way out of this prison. His kingdom and the lives of others were counting on him.


	5. New Friends, Old Friends

New Friends, Old Friends, Forgotten Acquaintances

When Sarah had scaled the hedge, her heart had thumped wildly to see the castle in ruin. She could see a distant glow on the platform of it's foundations though, and hope chased through her. He was there, she was sure of it. She only hoped she wouldn't be too late. At that thought, a kind of panic ran through her. _What will I do without him?_ She instantly shooed the feelings away, though. She needed to focus on her goal. Now she was on the ground floor of the hedge maze again. It had been several hours since she'd started. She was hot and tired already, and she thought a small layer of dust must have settled on her. Finally she reached two wrought iron gates, and through them she could see to the next level of the Labyrinth, where stone was starting to take over plant life. She tested the gates, but they were locked and the hedge was far too tall to scale here. She decided to take a small break to figure out a solution. After perhaps twenty minutes, Sarah heard some voices approach.

"I don't know why you want me to help some Runner, they won't have a chance against Mekrul!" a gruff voice grumbled.

"_This_ one will," insisted the other voice. Both sounded familiar to Sarah, and as they rounded the hedge, she saw why. One was Brok, but the other was a good friend of hers.

"Hoggle!" she cried, running over to give him a hug.

The dwarf gave a yelp. "Sarah?! Cor! What are ya doin' here?!"

Sarah grinned at her surprised friend. She felt much better now. "Thank you, Brok for finding him."

Brok grinned and nodded at her, then a frown replaced his smile. "I couldn't find the others though, I'm sorry."

Concern filled Sarah. "Hoggle, where are Ludo and Sir Didymus?"

Hoggle narrowed his eyes at her, and instead of answering her question, he cried, "Ya shouldn't be here, it's too dangerous! Gah! If Jareth finds out ya be here, he'll have my head on a plate!"

Sadness overtook Sarah, as she said softly, "So he does hate me then. Well he's just going to have to deal with me then, cause I plan on saving him!"

Shock showed on Hoggle's face then. "Hate ya? He don't hate ya, he's afraid of what Mekrul would do to ya." Relief at Hoggle's words flooded her, even as Hoggle looked torn about something. Finally he spoke again. "Ye're really gonna save him?" He blushed slightly then.

"Why are you embarrassed, Hoggle?"

"Well – it's just that I knows what I said 'bout him before, him bein' a rat an' all. But really, he ain't all that horrible. He's – well he's Jareth, an ain't nothin' gonna make him different than what he is. But Mekrul..." At this, Hoggle visibly shuddered.

"Yes, I believe I know what you mean. I will save Jareth. We may not have exactly parted on good terms, but I'm older now and I know that he only took Toby because I wished it so. And now that I've found out that there are and have been other Runners, I see that he was only doing his part."

"Well...there was more to it than that," Hoggle mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

"Nevermind, let's get going."

"I would but this gate is locked."

"Oh, I can open that," Brok said, moving up to the gate. He produced a set of keys from his pocket and inserted one into the lock, opening the gate. "After you, my lady." So Sarah lead the way deeper into the Labyrinth.

Sarah wasn't sure how much time had passed, but it felt like hours. The three travelers rounded upon a small village. Goblin style houses appeared to have been built straight out of the walls of the maze, but they seemed to be human-sized dwellings as well. Sarah asked in confusion, "What is this place? I thought the Goblin City was further along."

"This ain't the Goblin City," Hoggle gruffed. "It's for the outcast Fae." Seeing that Sarah needed further explanation, Hoggle continued. "Most Fae live beyond the Labyrinth, in a city called Delnorra. However, once in a while, some Fae or another will get into trouble or cause some mischief and they are exiled. Jareth takes it upon himself to provide those exiled with a place to live. He figures that they can't be any more trouble than the goblins he rules."

"Well, that's very generous of him," Sarah said and was immediately assaulted by memory. _I've been generous up until now, but I can be cruel._ She found herself wondering if his "cruelty" was all an act. It was certainly something to ponder, but her thoughts were arrested by the sight of the Fae peeking out of their houses. _The Fae really are a beautiful race_, she found herself thinking, as tall, slender women and shorter, but no less slender children cautiously peered at her. She was about to ask where the men were, when she spotted one who came outside boldly. He was handsomely lean, with green eyes and short red hair that curled every which way, and Sarah wondered if wild hair was a requirement to be Fae. But her thoughts were curtailed by a shout from both of her companions.

"Get back inside right now!" Brok yelled at the man.

"Don't look at him!" Hoggle cried to Sarah. It was too late, however, as the man smiled at Sarah and sauntered over to her smoothly, while her companions tried to drag him away from her ineffectively.

"Hello, human lady, my name is Yriston. What might your name be, and why do you wear a mask?" he asked, bowing to kiss her hand.

Sarah was thoroughly stumped as to why her friends were making a big deal. This Fae didn't seem mean or otherwise evil. She knew better than to give him her name, though. "Uh, Sarina," she answered, and wondered how the name so similar to her own came easily to her lips. He looked her right in the eyes then, and both her friends gasped in horror. A few seconds passed as the man stared at her. Sarah had never before backed down from a blinking contest, but she felt awkward. Was something supposed to happen? She glanced down at her friends in confusion. "What's going on?"

Surprise and relief spread over Brok's and Hoggle's faces, while Yriston frowned. "She's immune!"cried Brok.

"But how?" Hoggle replied.

A change came over Yriston then, as his face took on an ugly fierce look. Sarah found herself backing off quickly. Once again, things were not as they seemed. "NO human has ever been able to resist my charms before! Who _are_ you?!"

Suddenly a female voice barked out, "Go back home, Yriston! Can't you see she's not interested?!" The owner of the voice was fully in view now, and Sarah was surprised to see another human. The young woman had short and spiky brown hair and hazel eyes. The woman seemed vaguely familiar to Sarah, as the woman rushed towards Yriston, who promptly hissed as he retreated.

"Fine, she's probably tainted anyways," growled the Fae, disappearing into the village.

"Don't worry," the woman stated, "he won't bother you again."

"What the hell just happened?" Sarah growled, frustrated.

"He tried to use his glamor on you," came the simple reply. "I must admit, though, I'm as surprised as your companions here; it usually takes at least three months of living here to become resistant to the Fae charms."

"She's no ordinary human," Brok beamed. "She's the Champion!"

"Brok!" Sarah warned, but the human woman merely grinned and rushed up to embrace Sarah.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe I get to meet the Champion! My name's Bethany, by the way."

Suddenly, the memory snapped to the surface. "Bethany!? Why _you're_ the girl from the hospital that gave me the book when I had broken my leg!"

A look of surprise crossed Bethany's face, only to be shortly replaced by a knowing look. "It was fate," she said. "So, you're here to help us?"

"Yes, my friends are in danger."

"Good. I'm coming with you, though."

Sarah smiled, "Of course. The more the merrier." The newly expanded company continued onward.


	6. Intertwined

**A.N. -** Alright, so I screwed up a bit and didn't put any description of Jareth's prison in chapter 4, so here it is lol. I also hope this chapter clarifies some things for everyone. Enjoy!

Intertwined

Jareth tested the icy walls surrounding him with what little magic he had in him, but to no avail. It seemed that the cold was dampening all of his abilities. The most he could do was conjure up a small crystal sphere which couldn't pass through the barrier. He was getting frustrated, for there must be _some_ weakness or way to dispel this frozen prison. Now that he had too much time to think, memories from the past were tormenting him. There was a time in particular which he wished he could change, but although he had control over time, that was a gift which could only be used within the Labyrinth and in the mortal realm. And it could only be used while a Runner was still under the rules of the game. The image of dark hair and green eyes floated in his mind. If only he'd listened to that dwarf gardener, things might have turned out differently. But by the time Jareth realized that Sarah still thought of him as the villain and wouldn't be seduced, it was too late. Anger swept through him. _But she _wanted_ and _expected _me to be harsh,_ he thought. His traitorous mind supplied a quick reply, _Perhaps, but you could have proved her wrong._

"I did _everything_ for her, but she didn't appreciate it at all!" he snapped to himself. _And what evidence did you provide to her that she could trust you? After all, she only thought you wanted to keep her brother._ Jareth growled. He had been fighting with himself quite often on this subject lately. He decided to close his eyes, sleep, and see if any solutions would come to him about his current predicament.

_A large, multi-turreted castle stood out amongst the gentle hills of the forest. The castle had every kind of luxury one could imagine, including a stable for horses. In this stable, a young man was cleaning the stalls. He had short, blond hair, and blue eyes. His build was tall and lean but muscular and he was singing as he worked. _

_ "You have a lovely voice," a woman, also young, called out to him. She was of average height for a young lady, with black hair and emerald eyes. Her ears were slightly pointed, whereas the young man's were not. She was thin and shapely, her curves accentuated by the bodice she wore. _

_ "Thank you, Princess. Were you in need of a horse?" the young man replied._

_ "No, I actually came to talk to you."_

_ "Why would you want to talk to me, I am merely a servant, and a human servant at that?"_

_ "I've been watching you for a while now. You're different than the other men I know. They all want something from me, but it isn't love or even friendship. Even though you don't really know me, I was hoping that we could become friends."_

_ The young man frowned. "Won't the King and Queen be angry that you're befriending a servant?"_

_ The princess smiled mischievously, replying, "Perhaps, but they don't have to know, do they?" _

_ "Very well, I will be your friend. And I do know you, better than you think. I've been watching you as well. You're highly intelligent and stubborn." She pursed her lips at that and he grinned, saying, "I think we'll get along just fine." _

_ The princess and the stablehand fell in love, at which point the young man insisted on asking the King for permission to court the princess. The King agreed, on one condition. "You must prove to me that you would be able to handle the responsibilities of running a kingdom, for once the time is right, my daughter's husband would be King as she would be Queen."_

_ "And just how do you propose I do that?" The young man asked._

_ The King thought for a minute, then replied, "I believe I have the perfect solution. There is a kingdom adjacent to ours which has been without a ruler for some time. If you were to accept my condition, I would make you ruler of this kingdom, so that you could learn how to govern as well as the proper court etiquette. Also, you would become immortal, though you wouldn't become a Fae as I am."_

_ "What would I become then?"_

_ "You would be a magician. You would be able to move the stars, reorder time, and even transform yourself. There are rules of course, which you would learn as well."_

_ "What is this kingdom called?"_

_ "The Labyrinth."_

_ "Very well, I accept your condition. The princess is worth this challenge you have set before me. So what type of people would I be ruling over?"_

_ The Fae King grinned, and asked in return, "Tell me, boy, what do you know of goblins?"_

_ Several years passed, and the young man did indeed learn how to rule. He also learned there was another catch to his position. Whenever a young child was wished away to the goblins, he was to take that child and issue a challenge to the one who wished the child away. Either that person could accept the offer of their dreams given to them, or they could run the maze of the Labyrinth and try to get back the one they wished away in the first place. One day, a royal letter arrived, asking the young man to get to the castle immediately._

_ Once back, he sought the King out. "What have you summoned me for, Your Majesty?"_

_ The King looked sullen and distraught as he answered, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Jareth, but there was an accident. My daughter is dead."_

_ Jareth shook his head, not wanting to believe it. "But the Fae are immortal, you said so yourself."_

_ "Just because we are immortal does not mean we can't be killed. We had a new cook, a human. She didn't know that too much iron and salt in our diet is deadly."_

_ "Why wasn't she told this when she was taken on as the cook?" It came out as a whisper, but the King still heard._

_ "It was a mistake that has been dealt with accordingly," the King answered darkly. "Especially given the fact that the cook committed suicide after finding out she was the cause of my daughter's death."_

_ "What will happen to me now?" Jareth asked, tears falling from his eyes._

_ "Tell me, do you enjoy being the Goblin King?"_

_ "Yes, very much. Though the goblins have a way of angering me often, as do the humans I have to deal with, it's a very rewarding position. I'm glad with the knowledge that the children which are not won back have a safe home in this realm."_

_ "Very well. As such, you will remain the Goblin King from now on. Now that that's settled, we will be having a wake for my daughter in three days."_

_ Jareth nodded, still sobbing. "Oh Sarina, my precious one," he cried._

Sarah bolted awake, gasping. The dream was still fresh in her mind and her mind was reeling. So, that was the answer to everything then. Well, almost everything. She was, at some point in time, this Fae princess, Sarina. How she knew this, she didn't know, only that her gut told her it was so. There was still the issue of whether Jareth had recognized her fully when he'd told her to run the Labyrinth. It didn't matter any more though. None of what had happened when she was a Runner mattered. She and Jareth belonged together, and she had always known it, deep down. She'd fallen in love with him and fought her feelings at first because she was too young to understand them. She would not make that same mistake again. She only hoped that Jareth would forgive her for her ignorance.


	7. The Garden of Repose

**A.N. -** Alright so I apologize for the delayed update, I know there's still a good following for this story and I appreciate you all sticking through it so far. I've been cleaning house all week, not to mention I had this chapter all typed out but then didn't like it afterward so I had to start over lol. For those of you who are reading my other story, "I Dream of Peaches", I probably won't be getting around to posting a new chapter until Monday or Tuesday, but I _will_ get to it asap. Happy Father's Day everyone, and as usual, I hope you enjoy!

The Garden of Repose

Sarah hadn't thought much about whether there was day or night in the Underground, but apparently there was, as dusk was setting in. The small band was approaching a large wrought iron gate, which thankfully was open. Well, Sarah was thankful anyway, as there was no other direction to go other than back the way they'd come and there was no divergent path for several hours. But Bethany apparently wished to do just that, for she said, "Oh no, we can't go this way."

"Why not?" Sarah asked tiredly.

"I recognize this place; it's the Garden of Repose."

"She's right," Brok interjected. "The plants in here are carnivorous."

"You mean they'll _eat_ us?!" Sarah questioned in growing horror.

"Aye, Sarah, they'll munch us down with no thought of the matter," Hoggle remarked.

"Boy, and I thought the Cleaners were bad. But why would Jareth have this here? Surely he doesn't make the Runners go through this?"

"Well no, it's for defensive purposes. The Labyrinth shifts, as you've experienced yourself, so the magic of this place kept the Runners well away from the garden. Of course, now the magic is all but gone so the safety precautions aren't in place," Brok explained.

"Is there any other way through?"

"No we'll have to go back."

Sarah frowned, for going back would take to much time. She was growing increasingly worried. She didn't know how much time she had to reach Jareth before something terrible happened. "I'm going in, I don't have time to go back," she said. "I understand if the rest of you wish to turn back now, but Mekrul never gave me a time limit so he could decide to end the game at any point. I have to reach Jareth."

"You ain't going in there alone!" Hoggle declared. "Nasty plants or not, I'm going with ya."

"I'm going as well because I have the keys to all the gates if one of them is locked," Brok stated.

"Count me in!" Bethany smiled brightly.

"Thanks guys, you're awesome!" Sarah grinned at them. So the party stepped into the infamous garden. As if they had all agreed to it, they all walked in silence, hoping not to disturb the plant life. And what plant life it was, despite their dead appearance. There were exotically shaped trees, vast bushes, and vines as tall as a building. They were half-way through the garden and it seemed that the garden was truly dead, so the group relaxed a little. All of a sudden, a vine whipped out and grabbed Brok around the ankle, taking him up into the air.

"Brok!" Sarah cried out.

"Help!" He called back in response, hitting the vine that had him. Then the rest of the garden came to life, with other vines lashing out.

"Watch out!" Bethany warned as they tried to dodge the vines.

"Sarah, we've got to get him down and get out of here!" Hoggle said as he pointed behind them. She looked where he was pointing and her eyes grew wide in terror as she realized the bushes were moving toward them slowly!

In desperation, Sarah found herself doing something she hadn't done in three years. "Oh I wish there was something I could do right now!" Immediately, she felt a strange sensation run through her, like the feeling one gets when an arm or leg is getting feeling back after having fallen asleep. At the same time, it was a familiar feeling, something her soul recalled from a long time ago and quickly put a name to. It was magic. Out of instinct, Sarah stretched her hand out towards the vine that had captured Brok and lightning shot from that hand, severing the vine. She and Bethany ran forward to catch Brok as he fell. "Go, go!" Sarah yelled as they all took off, ducking and dodging the vines. Finally, they leaped over the boundary of the garden to the other side and safety. "Whew, that was close!" Sarah gasped.

"Thanks guys," Brok said gratefully.

As they sat down to catch their breath, Bethany eyed Sarah and commented, "How did you use magic?"

Sarah shook her head, replying, "I don't know, but I knew that I could."

"Only Fae can use magic though."

"I think I was a Fae once," said Sarah as she told them about her dream.

"What happened to Princess Sarina occurred several centuries ago. It's why Jareth never settled down with a Fae woman," Brok said. "But if you have her soul inside of you, that would explain why Jareth was so taken with you."

"Wait, what? I thought he just wanted to keep my brother to turn into a goblin."

"He was going to keep your brother, but he wanted you as well. That's why he offered you what he did. The whole Labyrinth knows Jareth had fallen in love with you and that he was...upset when you rejected him."

Sarah turned to Hoggle, asking quietly, "Is that true? Did you know, when I ran the Labyrinth?"

Hoggle fidgeted slightly, but replied, "Yes, it's true. I knew but I didn't tell you because you didn't seem interested in him. He was pretty temperamental when you broke the peach spell," he chuckled at the memory.

"I was only fifteen years old, and I hadn't even started dating yet!" Sarah retorted, defending herself. "How could he expect me to accept his offer, especially given that he still would have turned my brother into a goblin?"

"The Fae have a different set of rules, especially His Majesty," shrugged Brok. "He would have had no choice to turn your brother into a goblin, for that was a condition of taking on the responsibilities of the kingdom. Having an assortment of humans running around a magical realm would have been chaos. It's complicated."

"Okay, so is he still angry with me? I mean, it was three years ago."

"He won't speak of you and he'll bog anyone who does. But all of the goblins think that he still cares for you, and that includes me," Brok replied, patting her hand. "The question is how you feel about him. I'm sure he'll be grateful if you manage to save him, and us at the same time. But he won't be so merciful if you lead him to believe that you're in love with him if you're not."

Sarah contemplated this new information and found that she understood better than she would have three years ago. After all, back then she had been selfish and had come to be a better person after going through the Labyrinth. She had a wonderful relationship with her family now and she should be thanking Jareth for that. "He really did try to give me what I wanted," she mused. "I hope to show him that I've changed and that I do love him. It only took me a while to realize it."

Brok smiled, saying, "Then we've no time to waste."

"What are we waiting for then?" Sarah responded, feeling a bit lighter. So they all continued onward.


	8. Still Life with Large Lizards

**A.N.** - Okay so this is a somewhat shorter chapter, but we're reaching the end of the story and I'm excited about that. I hope you all enjoy this latest installment!

Still Life with Large Lizards

The darkness of night seemed to consume them and Sarah asked in a quiet tone, "Do you think we should find shelter for the night?"

Brok shook his head, replying just as quietly, "No, this isn't a safe area. The Goblin City is close. If I can remember where the gate is, we can sleep there for the night."

"Where _are_ all the goblins anyway?"

"Most of them are holed up in their houses in the city, though a few have left the Goblin Kingdom and are staying with friends or relatives."

At that point, they came across two, high, iron double doors. Sarah recognized them immediately. "This is it, we made it!" Suddenly, there was a rumbling and the ground shifted, causing everyone to huddle together. The doors slide to the right and out of sight, and in their place, a different set of doors came before them. These doors were made of crystal and they were a more normal door size. The ground stopped rumbling.

"Darn it!" Brok cried. "The Labyrinth is still somewhat alive, so it just moved. We'll have to go through these doors in order to get back to the other ones."

"Alright, well I'm not turning back now, so we might as well go in." The doors were unlocked so they pushed through and stepped into the new area.

Right away, they could tell there was something not quite right about the place. There were statues of every type of creature imaginable scattered in what appeared to be a haphazard manner. "This place is creepy," Bethany said. "I don't remember ever being here."

"Yeah," Sarah remarked, "it's like a graveyard. Why are there so many different statues? I mean, did Jareth put this place here for a reason too?"

"I don't remember," Brok admitted. "There's many parts of the Labyrinth I haven't traveled to in some time."

Despite the growing unease inside of her, Sarah was curious and approached one of the statues. "Geez, they're so lifelike. It really _is_ creepy. You know, maybe we should get out of here as quickly as possible." But it was in that moment that the moon decided to peek out from the clouds and settle upon two of the statues, making Sarah gasp in horror. "Ludo! Sir Didymus!" She cried out, running up to her two friends. For there they were, frozen as statues, just like the rest. "Brok, what's happened to them? What's happened to them all?!"

Brok didn't get a chance to reply though, for there was a hissing sound coming from the brush nearby. "Oh _shit_," Hoggle said. "Run everyone! I remember what's here now, it's a basilisk. If you look in its eyes, you'll be petrified!" They all scattered, as the crunching of branches and snarling of a large creature followed them. At one point, Sarah was huddled behind a statue and happened to glance in a puddle of water. Her eyes widened as she took in the reflection of the beast. It looked like a cross between what she imagined a dragon and a giant rooster would have produced as an offspring. She didn't know if her magic would be able to help in this situation, not to mention she didn't know if she could call upon her magic any time she wanted. She knew she had to do something though.

"Oh, I wish someone could help us right now," she muttered. The fluttering of wings above her caused her to look up. The silhouette of a ginormous bird blocked out the light of the moon for a second, until it swooped down. Sounds of a ferocious battle soon came as snarling and snapping could be heard. A loud crack followed by silence signaled what could only be the end of the battle.

Sarah wasn't sure if it was safe, but Brok's voice called out, "It's alright, everyone can come out now!"

She cautiously crept out, as did the others, to witness the bloody scene. The basilisk lay dead on the ground, both eyes gouged out. Standing next to it, preening, was the source of their rescue.

"Is that a gryphon?" Sarah asked, for the creature did have the head of an eagle and the body of a lion.

"Indeed," Brok replied, smiling. "And you called it here."

"I did?"

"Yes. It seems that some of the power that His Majesty gave you before the last time you came here still resides in you."

"You mean the wish I made just now? Does that mean I can wish for anything?"

"Probably not. I think it only works in certain instances, but what those instances would be I couldn't tell you." Brok glanced at the gryphon and then said, "You know what, though? I think he can get us to the Goblin City. We just need to go two at a time."

At that moment, the creatures and beings who had been petrified began to move again. "When the basilisk died, the spell on them must have been broken," Bethany remarked.

Something like a revelation passed through Sarah, for she knew what had to be done. "Listen, you all need to stay here and help everyone. I'll go on the gryphon and confront Mekrul."

"What?! No, Sarah, you can't!" Hoggle yelled.

"I have to do this alone, Hoggle. It was my challenge to begin with, so I'm the only one who can free Jareth and you know it. Please, I know I can do this."

Hoggle sniffed, but he nodded. "Okay, you're right. Promise me you're comin' back though."

"I promise," Sarah smiled. Turning to the others, she said, "Thank you all for everything. I'll be back soon."

"Good luck," Bethany said.

"Remember, just believe in yourself," Brok piped in.

Waving goodbye to them, Sarah climbed into the gryphon's back and it soared up into the air.


	9. Confrontation

**A.N. -** As promised, here is the showdown! I hope it's satisfactory and that everyone enjoys! By the way, my rating for this story is because of the violence factor but if I get enough requests for it, I might be able to smuggle a bit of naughtiness to this story (I've never done that before but I know that some of you might be wanting that because of the rating). P.S. - Much thanks to the anonymous reviewer who was extremely generous in comparing my story with bits of other, much more recognized works. I like to be inspired by literature but I never thought my scribblings were at the same caliber of such classics. You have given me incentive to write more.

Confrontation

Jareth was restless. He'd tried everything he could think of, but his magic just wasn't powerful enough to break through the ice that held him. He still had a small connection to the Labyrinth so he was relieved to know that it wasn't entirely dead yet. If he didn't act soon, however, his kingdom would be lost. He was beginning to feel desperate. And as if his nemesis could read his mind, Mekrul laughed and said, "Face it, Jareth, no one will be coming for you. The Runners have all given up and I've sent them home with no memory of this place."

Jareth was about to retort when something in the distance caught his eye. It was something in the air and it was approaching quickly. He thought it was a bird at first, but when it was close enough, he realized it was a gryphon. He kept his mouth shut about it, for he had a feeling Mekrul would not tolerate any interferences to his machinations. He watched as the gryphon came closer and saw that someone was riding it, a woman. He wondered who she was and what she was doing here, but he didn't care as long as she was on his side. The gryphon was silent and Mekrul suspected nothing as the creature swooped down, claws out. Mekrul finally saw movement and turned to look, but by then it was too late, the gryphon was upon him and knocked him to the ground as it landed.

The woman dismounted gracefully and Jareth found himself drawn to her. He wondered why she was wearing a mask. He took advantage of the fact that his nemesis was on the ground, dazed. "Please, you must help me," he implored the woman.

She turned to him and ran over, saying, "Yes, that's why I'm here. How do I get you out of that prison?"

"You don't happen to have any magic, do you?"

"I just found out I can use magic, but I'll see what I can do." When Sarah's eyes had alighted upon Jareth, her heart sped up. He was just as handsome as she remembered. She almost giggled at the thought that he had asked her to help him, and nicely at that. She had to focus on getting him out of that ice, though. She closed her eyes and concentrated on summoning the magic within her. Finally she felt the spark within her build until she opened her eyes, stretched out her hands, and shot out a bolt of lightening. The ice seemed to melt a bit, but it hadn't melted enough to free Jareth. Before she could shoot another bolt, though, Mekrul's voice came angrily.

"You, Runner! Why are you here? I thought the Labyrinth had killed you!" Jareth was stunned. This woman was a Runner? Why was she trying to help him? He was confused, for he didn't have many Runners who were magical, for magical beings generally didn't wish away others.

"Guess you don't know the Labyrinth, or me, as well as you thought," Sarah retorted.

"Why do you care what happens to this man? After all, he took someone close to you and changed them to a goblin."

Sarah had prepared for this question. She didn't want to give all her cards away right off the bat. She shrugged, saying, "Maybe I'm glad that my cousin got taken. He was a pretty big bully. Heck, he was well on his way to juvenile detention when I wished him away. In fact, you could say that the Goblin King did me a favor."

"Well, as much as I applaud you for getting this far, I'm afraid I can't let you free this man." Mekrul suddenly shot out a stream of dark energy. Sarah reacted instinctively, holding up her hands in front of her and conjuring up a plasma shield, which deflected the energy. The force of the blast still knocked her onto the ground, but she was sure that she would have been dead if she didn't have magic. She got up, panting for breath. "How are you doing magic?!" Mekrul practically roared.

"Like I said, I guess you didn't know me as well as you thought."

"Regardless, you'll never free him. You may have weakened the barrier of the prison, but only his own magic can break through the rest. As you can see, he's not exactly in his top magical prowess right now," Mekrul sneered at her.

"That's not exactly fail-proof. What if he gains his magic back?" Sarah scoffed.

"Hah! The only way he can get his magic !back is if the one Runner ever to win the Labyrinth gave him back his powers, and I made sure to keep her out of this little game."

Sarah's heart soared. So, she could help Jareth after all. She smirked, then said, "I suppose there's nothing left then, but to say the right words."

"Nothing you can say will help him now!"

She ignored him, steeled herself, then cried out, "I was wrong, three years ago, for now I know my true destiny and who I really am. Jareth, the Goblin King, I give you back all your powers!" And with that proclamation, she ripped her mask off and shouted, "You shouldn't have messed with the Champion of the Labyrinth, Mekrul!"

"What?! No, that's impossible!"

For Jareth, not only was his magic infusing him all at once, he was shocked by the turn of events. It was Sarah! But he had a usurper to deal with first. He channeled his magic, then with a twist of his hand, the ice exploded outward, disintegrating into the air. Mekrul, in his anger, didn't realize the danger, for suddenly there was a pair of gloved hands around his throat. "I will most certainly relish your death," Jareth growled. He turned to the gryphon still there, and nodded at the creature, who stamped in place impatiently. Jareth tossed Mekrul into the air and the gryphon caught the dark Fae with its beak. With a snap and a gulp, Mekrul was no longer. Jareth sighed in relief. It was over and he was free. He could get down to the business of bringing his beloved Labyrinth back to life. First things first, though. He turned back to Sarah. "So, what shall I do with you, Precious?"


	10. The End or the Beginning?

**A.N.** - I'm so sorry for the late update; my internet was out for about a month and so I had to wait till I could get it back. I'm not sure if I'm completely satisfied with the conclusion to this story, but I needed to finish it so that I can focus on finishing "I Dream of Peaches". I know that this chapter might be slightly sappy but I wanted the whole fairy-tale ending for this particular story so deal with it, lol. I hope that those of you who are following it are happy with how it ends and I thank you all for sticking through this journey with me. This was my first fanfiction and I hope to write a few more at least, though not necessarily dealing with _Labyrinth_. Anyone with any suggestions or requests will be given consideration.

The End or the Beginning?

Jareth and Sarah stood there for a minute, sizing each other up. Sarah was nervous, but then she stuck her chin up in the air and said, "I'm not afraid of you, Jareth."

A smirk crossed his lips as he replied, "No, you never were, were you?" He paced around her and she got a feeling of déjà vu. When he spoke again, his lips were against her ear, his hands on her shoulders, and she couldn't repress the shudder of desire that flashed through her. "So I suppose I owe you a debt of gratitude, don't I? After all, you _did_ manage to release me from the clutches of Mekrul."

Sarah managed to regain control of herself, shaking her head. "You don't owe me anything. After all, it was I who made you weaker in the first place by winning your challenge." She turned to face him and found herself lost in his mismatched eyes.

He was smiling at her, making her think fleetingly of the Big Bad Wolf. "So what you're saying is that we're square."

"No, we're not square. I need to tell you something, something you should know."

"And what is that, Precious?"

"I had a past life and in this past life, you and I were together. You may not remember it, but I recall it as clearly as if it were yesterday. My name was Sarina, I was a princess, and you were but a stablehand."

Jareth gasped and froze. His voice finally found him. "Sarina? Is this true? It must be, for how else would you know about that?" With new eyes, Jareth looked upon the woman he loved. Everything he'd felt for Sarah from the time he'd met her in that hospital up until this point made sense now. "And tell me, Sarah, has your view of me changed because of this revelation?"

"My view of you changed long ago, Jareth, when I realized what a fool I'd been three years ago. Please forgive me?"

Jareth closed the distance between them swiftly and kissed her on the lips. Sarah felt light-headed with happiness. She couldn't believe her dearest wish had come true, the one she should have wished on that fateful night when she ran the Labyrinth. "Sarah, I've waited for you for so long, I can't wait any longer. Will you marry me and join me as Queen of the Labyrinth?"

"Of course I will, Jareth." The two kissed again, eager to start their new life together.

A month later, Jareth and Sarah held their wedding at the Goblin Castle. The Labyrinth had been restored to it's former glory and all of the citizens of the Underground were in attendance. Hoggle and Brok were groomsmen, as well as Sir Didymus and Ludo, who had come back from visiting their relatives. Sarah had Bethany as a bridesmaid, and she was happy that Jareth had agreed to let her family come for the wedding as well. He'd even surprised her by telling her that they could visit her any time she wished, and could even live in the castle should they so choose to do so. It was clear to all that no two people could be more in love than the Goblin King and his new bride.

At the end of the ceremony, Sarah asked Jareth, "So where were you planning on taking me for our honeymoon?"

Jareth grinned and answered, "I was thinking perhaps England. I know you've always wanted to visit there. Also, that's where I was originally from before I found myself in the Underground."

"Oooh, the chance to not only visit a country I've always dreamed of going to, but to find out about your past. Sounds great!" And really, the excitement for both of them lay in the knowledge that they would have forever to spend together, and forever wasn't really that long at all.


End file.
